Radiant Manbun: Hanging Roots

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

During the weekend I took pictures of trees in Wentworth Park in Glebe.

I like trees.
I like how they can grow to become ancient and seem to be associated with wisdom.

Anyway, there was one in particular I found myself fascinated with.
It had roots above ground that were hanging off the tree.
I liked how they appeared and how numerous they were.

I took a few photos on Saturday but most didn’t turn out well (I left the lens on manual focus and didn’t adjust it) so I went back on Sunday to take some more.

I did “experiment” with aperture a fair bit as I wanted to see how I could capture the roots.

It seemed to make them appear somewhat otherworldly in some of the photos.

The first is from Saturday and then the rest are from Sunday.

I hope you enjoy.

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Five-hundred Word Challenge 5: Sixth life thing for the year

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

Today was an interesting day.
Actually, it wasn’t.

Apparently last month a position for a team leader role was internally advertised. I’m not sure if I missed or dismissed it, but for some reason I felt compelled to try and see if I could be considered for it.

I was advised that it was withdrawn for the time being but to keep an eye out and see what happens.

I wouldn’t mind being in the role, considering the amount of time I’ve been with the company I work for. The pay would be nice and it would mean I wouldn’t have to do overtime anymore. It would also mean I would be able to save a fair bit of money over a short period of time, quit working and then study full time and live off savings for a while.

It’s probably not the smartest idea in the world but I don’t want to work for a few years.

Anyway, if the position remains withdrawn then one team leader will be doing the work of two.

If the position ends up being advertised again I’m going to go straight for it and hope I get it.

I didn’t do overtime this afternoon as I had a lot (actually not much) to do.

When I came home I played guitar for roughly two hours. My goal there is currently to practice guitar or bass (depending on how I feel) for an hour to two hours a day. Fe and I have our first gig coming up so I want to make sure I’m playing better by the time it happens.

After playing guitar I worked on my first assessment (a short quiz) for stats.
I didn’t do too well (67.5%) but I have three more attempts (the best score out of the three counts) so I’m not worried. I then began to listen to the first lecture of the semester (they’re recorded) and took notes. I’m behind and not at the same time.

I’ve been slow with listening to lectures but I’ve been doing fine with the course exercises.
As I’m now leaving home shortly after I wake up instead of being lazy in the morning I’ll be getting to work about an hour early so I’m going to use that time to study more.

I currently should have all the information I need to obtain my proof of citizenship so I can obtain my passport. That makes me happy. I now need to send the application off so I can sort it out completely sooner.

My real estate wants to put the rent up by one-hundred dollars per fortnight.
I sent them a polite, professional letter advising why the household was not accepting of that. I’m not too sure what the outcome is going to be but I don’t think it will go much further.

Well, that’s about all I can muster out of writing now.
I don’t think I have anything else.

Just one more thing.

I fell over today.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 21:28:31

Slower than previous but I’m rather tired at this point.

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Five-hundred Word Challenge 4: No Ideas

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

Today is another day that I don’t know what I’m going to write about as I haven’t really any ideas in my head currently.
Sadly, it’s true.

I went searching for an idea once. I looked high in the mountains and low in the oceans, but there was not one to be found.

Alas, I was without an idea.

I searched in the darkest of caves and the brightest of suns but alas, I was still without an idea.

I didn’t know what to do.
I felt lost, confused and defeated somewhat.

I took a sip from my flask of tea so that I would be provided the strength and will to carry on.

And carry on is exactly what I did.

I searched the hottest of volcanoes and the coldest of glaciers.
I searched the driest of deserts and the wettest of rainforests.

I scoured flood plains and cities and towns and abandoned villages.

There was no an idea to be found anywhere for me.

I began to trudge home wearily.

I saw day turn into night and night into day many times.

I saw the winds carry leaves and seeds and rain help give birth to plants.
I saw my name carved into the sky as an illusion amongst the clouds but even during my return journey I was still without an idea.

I could not see one wherever I walked.

During my walk home I saw populations fall and rise and fall again. I saw governments instated and then overthrown.

I saw fierce battles shortly followed by peace treaties.

I was able to think about what it was that I had experienced.

I had no ideas but I had gained experiences.

I thought about all I had seen.
I saw mountains turn to sand as others had risen.
I saw old life give birth to new.
I saw my reflection cast upon a still lake.

It had been a wonderful experience but I still was left without an idea.

I kept walking as I wanted to return home.
I had begun to feel heavy but I had to at least make it back to my place of rest.

I saw people returning home in the middle of the night after enjoying themselves immensely.

I saw animals dance and laugh through the dark.

I saw lights switch off as a city fell asleep.
I saw people heading to work to support themselves.

I walked across great expanses of beach and saw families playing in the water.

I did not know what to do other than continue heading home.

Eventually I fell.
I no longer had the energy to continue.
My journey had not resulted in success and I did not feel that I was going to be able to make it home anymore.

I lay there for a long period of time.

Eventually I got up and continued as I had finally succeeded.
I searched my mind and found that many ideas had been there the whole time.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 14:16:76

Faster than yesterday.
I was making it up as I went along though.
I think it shows, but I like it.

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Five-hundred Word Challenge 3: Sydney Public Transport

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

Whilst I was waiting for a train at Wynyard Station yesterday morning a lady came up to me for a survey about Sydney Trains.

Being the professional person that I am, I decided that, for all the years of service I’ve received from public transport in Sydney it would only be appropriate that I told the lady exactly what I thought.

I told her it was overpriced, inefficient and that I hoped to not have to use the public transport system of Sydney for much longer.

That may seem unfair but the public transport of Sydney is, in my opinion, lacking.

And why change the name of CityRail to Sydney Trains? We know they are trains. We know that they are in Sydney.

Were they worried people would start thinking we’d be riding a MONGOOSE?!

But I digress.

You know what really grinds my gears?

Having to spend almost ninety minutes traveling a short distance on public transport.
In the last two weeks there have been three occasions where I’ve been traveling by bus and it’s taken me far longer than it should to reach my destination.

For two of them (traveling from work to home) the first bus was running rather late which meant the second bus was missed which led to spending more time than usual waiting for another bus.

On the remaining occasion I was heading to uni. My first bus came on time. When I was waiting for my second bus, it pulled into the stop then left before I could get on. I didn’t see the doors open either.

I’ve had a lot of experiences with buses in Sydney (such as chasing a bus for a block because the driver supposedly didn’t see me even though the doors were shut just before I could get on a bus so I was quite visible) that have me asking why anyone would settle for something that is not working properly.

I can cycle to and from work but to be doing that regularly I need to build up to it and as I don’t own a car I still rely on the public transport we have here.

Unfortunately some people don’t have the choice though.

The buses are at least somewhat cheaper than the trains.
The trains usually run on time though.

The buses seem to run on a timetable not available to the public at times.
There is no real reason for buses that are quite empty to run fifteen minutes late frequently.

I know this doesn’t happen all the time. It is common though.

And yes, I do think the trains suck a lot as well.

The rail system is in a dire need of an upgrade. Track work used to be far less common than it is now. When ticket prices go up it makes me wonder if the cost of maintaining a system past its use-by date is being put on the customers.

Sydney’s public transport needs an overhaul.

Hopefully it happens soon.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 25:49:54

I worked slower on this one as I’m a fair bit tired.

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Yet Another shot of a small part of Sydney Harbour

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

I’ve put a couple of photos of this view here. I guess it’s because I like it.

Everyone seems to love the Sydney Opera House but I think that a lot of the best views involving Sydney don’t include it.

I took this picture as I was cycling home yesterday. I hadn’t captured the view during sunset yet.

I was hoping for clouds bathed in red and orange. I didn’t get that but I was happy with what I saw.

It’s not something I haven’t seen before but it is something that I still find beautiful to see.

I like how despite there being light (regardless of how fleeting it may be), many things will be cast in shadow from the right angle.

At times sunset makes things feel quite serene.

I also like how Blues Point Tower appears here. It seems rather solitary.

If I were to personify it, I would say it is indicative of feeling lonely; even when you have much around you.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

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Park Lights

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

Here is a picture I took after Si, Ewe, Anna and I went bowling

Whilst Si and I were exploring we walked through Jubilee Park.

I decided to take photos of some of the lights and play around with exposure to see what I could come up with.

A lot of the photos seemed to come off as inviting yet menacing.

I think.

I do feel that with less exposure the lights have gained a mysterious quality.

These were the best photos.

I hope you enjoy.

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Five-hundred Word Challenge 2: I Want to Take a Picture of a Tree

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

From the building I work in I am able to see the top of a tree.
It has no leaves so the branches are bare.

I want to be able to take a picture of it but there is one problem.
Our windows have two glass panels with a shade between them.
Aside from a small amount of windows in my office, all of the inner glass panels are unmovable.

All the outer panels are also unmovable.

However, there might be a way around this.

Between the tree and my building is a mental health clinic. The roof of the clinic has the best vantage point to get a photo of the tree as the tree is right next to it.

Last week on Friday I tried to get into the building by buzzing a door (which seems to be the only way to get in).
There was no answer.

I called the reception desk once I found the number and asked about the possibility of being allowed in to take a photo.
The person I spoke to tried to get me through to someone but was unable to reach them. They tried someone else and they answered. I asked them and they told me that the person I would need to speak to would be in on Monday and gave me their name.
I forgot to call.

I’m considering trying on Monday next week. However, I’ve a small problem there.
What if they’re expecting me to call and tell me that said person is unavailable as they thought that I would skip this Monday to call next Monday?

I could call on the Monday after, but they might already be ahead of me on that one, so I should call this Monday. But they probably know that I will call then. I can’t try both as I doubt anyone else is calling to take a picture of a tree with no leaves on it. They’ll know who I am immediately.

I could try calling tomorrow to get them by surprise but they might know that I know that it will catch them off surprise and therefore get me by surprise by telling me the person I need to speak to is unavailable.

But then I could just get them by surprise by calling them on Monday next week as they wouldn’t expect that as I imagine that as I forgot to call them on  the Monday that just passed us they probably will have forgotten themselves.

But what if the name they gave me is one they made up?

I think I may be over-thinking the situation a bit too much.

Silliness aside, I do hope they allow me to take photos of the tree from their roof.
I fine it to be quite striking. Highly angular, stark, strong and defiant in a way.

I’d only need about five to fifteen minutes to take photos and then I’d be done.

Maybe I will give them a call tomorrow.

Maybe.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 14:17:26

A bit faster. I think I can do better than that though.

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Whale Ad

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

On Saturday whilst I was heading home from work with a couple of friends we saw an ad that featured a whale in it.

I have no idea what was written in the ad as it was in a language I couldn’t understand.

I think it was trying to sell an exhaust hood.

Anyway, the ad made no sense to me. There was an exhaust hood underwater and there was a humpback that was about to collide with it.

Due to the senselessness of the ad I decided it was only fitting that I tried to pay homage to it by replicating it.

At first I did a 6 minute draft for fun and to have a base to work off but when I went back to make the whale look better I found myself liking the draft more, so I made a few minor alterations.

I’ve tried to translate what was written as best as I could.

I’m note entirely sure of the accuracy of my translation but I’m fairly certain that it’s close to what the advertisers were saying.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

Whale ad 2

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Summer has Ended

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

The sun sets to rise anew
Trees are caressed by the wind as the days of summer become a memory
The loving embrace of darkness greets the earth
Even in shadows bare branches reach for the skies as though there is light

Colours become subtle amongst a colder backdrop
Vividity begins to recede to allow muted beauty
Autumn leaves lead to times of rest
As cold becomes more common warmth is still found

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Five-hundred Word Challenge

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

I decided to see how fast I could type something consisting of five-hundred words.
However, I feel I may have bitten off more than I can chew.

I’m trying to force myself to work more on writing by writing five-hundred words each day.
The problem I have is that I have far more ideas than I do time. My mind goes off in many different directions and it can end up compounding with the issues I have with procrastination.

Once I push through and force myself then I don’t have a problem with writing.

Well, most of the time.

I usually don’t have a problem with writing when I sit down and do it.
Sometimes I can work on something short or a review for hours more than I need to.

The review of Apex Predator – Easy Meat took around a month to write as I didn’t know what to write about it most of the time, even though I knew what to write, if that makes sense.

Another reason as to why I’m forcing myself to write five-hundred words each day is that with all the overtime I’ve been working I’ve become a bit lazy which has led to a lot of things going by the wayside. Music, writing, drawing, photography and seeing friends have become less of a priority. I’m still doing all of those but not near the amount I am able to at the moment. Obviously they all require their own individual attention but at least if I force myself to write then that’s one less thing I’m being lazy with.

I am wondering what I can think of that is interesting to write about right now but I’m really unsure. I’ve been home for about fifty minutes at this stage. I cycled home and had a shower, then had to get my mouse working as it wasn’t being detected by my laptop (the mouse needs replacing). Now I’m writing this.

Am I writing about writing or am I just writing about my desire to write more than I do?
I’m not entirely sure at the moment.

It’s most likely an irrelevant thought that is designed to make me feel far more philosophical than I actually am.

Or it’s just a train of thought.

I do know I feel a bit tired at the moment, so writing is a little more difficult than it should be.

Oh well.

At least if I work on this enough I will improve my ability to write. That is important to me.
I like the ability to write a lot and I like that I can keep improving. Maybe I’ll find my own style one day. Maybe not.

So long as I keep improving.

I imagine that the more I write the more I’ll be able to get some of my ideas down.
My apologies for something else that is obvious.

Google thought it would take me about fifty-five minutes to get home using my bike.
It took me twenty-nine.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 16:48:37.

I think I can do it faster tomorrow.

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